So if I understand what you are suggesting – you think it is more likely that PR fibers were transferred to JR or something/someone, and then from him or that person/thing to JBR. And you find that more likely than a primary transfer from PR to JBR?
No. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying we know of two methods by which fibers can be transferred, direct (primary) and indirect (secondary). So we have two explanations for the fibers. If we would like to rule one out, then we need to explain why it had to be the one, and not the other. If we can't show that it had to be one and not the other, then we must accept that the fiber evidence is not conclusive.
Patsy’s fibers were found in four places relating to the crime scene, not just the victim. JR must have been covered in PR fibers in order to get more of PR on the body than himself.
PR fibers were found:
1. in the paint tray
2. tied
into the ligature found on JonBenet's neck
3. found on the blanket she was wrapped in
4. found on the duct tape that was found on the mouth
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/lab/forensic-science-communications/fsc/july2000/deedric3.htm
Fiber Number
The number of fibers on the clothing of a victim identified as matching the clothing of a suspect is important in determining actual contact. The greater the number of fibers, the more likely that contact actually occurred between these individuals.
Fiber Location
Where fibers are found also affects the value placed on a particular fiber association. The location of fibers on different areas of the body or on specific items at the crime scene influences the significance of the fiber association.
snip
A primary transfer occurs when a fiber is transferred from a fabric directly onto a victim's clothing,
whereas a secondary transfer occurs when already transferred fibers on the clothing of a suspect transfer to the clothing of a victim.
JB may well have had a large number of PR fibers on her She had plenty of opportunity for contact with her parents in the hours prior to the murder. But what is a large number? We'd need a fiber count. We'd have to know something about the propensity of PRs sweater/jacket to give up fibers -"shedability". And we'd have to know something about JB's clothing's propensity to attract fibers. As far as I can see, we don't know these things. We'd also need some sort of baseline in another, non-crime, part of the house to determine what a "lot" is.
The paint tote belonged to PR, and was normally kept upstairs. LHP took it to the basement on the 22nd. Finding PRs fibers in her own tote is about as incriminating as finding her fingerprints on the tote. Also, the tote is a container, so fibers falling into it would not have much of a chance to come in contact with other people/objects. They could however be picked up by the killer's hands as he (or she) rummaged in the tote for a paintbrush.
The garrote is on her neck, so it's not hard to see that fibers could get on it from her body, clothing, or hair. That the fibers are "tied into" the garrote means nothing more than the fibers adhered to the cord as it was being fashioned into a garrotte. Even if one capitalizes INTO, or if one puts in in boldface, it doesn't make primary transfer more likely than secondary.
The blanket was wrapped around the body, so not hard to see how secondary transfer could happen there.
The duct tape touched the body. Dr. Lee said those fibers could be transferred secondarily by PR having kissed JB earlier in the day. Additionally we do not know what the duct tape was stuck to before being placed on the mouth. (no roll of duct tape was found, so the tape must have come off some other object? ) Also JR rips the duct tape off before taking the body upstairs, so we don't know if the tape attracted fibers before, or after it's removal.
http://www.acandyrose.com/crimescene-evidence.htm
Bruce Levin : (Atlanta meeting taped August 29, 2000 9:34am) "We believe the fibers from her jacket were found in the paint tray, found tied into the ligature found on JonBenet's neck, was found on the blanket she was wrapped in, was found on the duct tape that was found on the mouth.
I have no evidence from any scientist that suggest that those fibers are from any source other than your red jacket."
I'm not arguing that they are from any other source, just that we have two methods of transfer and no way to distinguish between the two. Those of you who have convinced yourself that the fibers MUST be there from primary transfer have only to show the fiber science that tells us that the fibers could not be there from secondary transfer.
We have a victim who shared a house with the suspects. The victim and suspects had many opportunities for close contact during the day. The blanket, tape and garrote all contacted the body. The killer's hands contacted the paint tote. It's difficult to see any problem with indirect transfer as an explanation for the fibers.
I was saving this for my theory of the case, but I'll just go ahead and show it now.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has said, on their website -
http://dofs.gbi.georgia.gov/sites/dofs.gbi.georgia.gov/files/imported/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/57/14/180852003GBI-TraceEvidence.pdf states -
"Note: The more matching fiber types that exist in a case, the stronger the evidence of association. Remember that fiber matches between two individuals who share the same environment (e.g. live together, or drive the same car) are essentially meaningless."